Renovation of a panel apartment
The subject of the construction modifications was a three-room apartment in a panel building in Prague-Chodov.
The task was to create a modern, bright interior and adjust the space of the apartment to connect the kitchen with the living room as much as possible, making the apartment feel larger. Initially, it seemed that we could achieve this only by unifying the materials of the floors and wall surfaces, without any significant demolition work. However, after studying the structural system of the panel building with the structural engineer, we concluded that it was possible to remove the wall separating the existing living room and the hallway. The key dividing wall turned out to be non-load-bearing and infill. The fact that we were on the top floor under the roof also played a significant role in our considerations.
Since the wall fell into the so-called common areas of the building, it was necessary to hold discussions with the homeowners' association and the cooperative. This, among other things, meant delaying the entire process, as we had to wait for the schedules of both entities' meetings. However, this was eventually accomplished.
By removing the wall, the living space was connected to the kitchen and the large hallway, which until then had been just a dark passageway with no better use. This significantly increased the possibilities for working with natural light and bringing it into the traditionally dark areas of panel apartments – the bathroom core and the entrance hallway. This was achieved through the addition of internal windows – skylights, as well as light distribution from both sides of the perimeter walls.
Incorporating the large hallway into the living space reduced the single-purpose communication area and increased the living space. The bathroom core was shifted while maintaining contact with the installation shaft. In the area of the former kitchen, a small study with a wardrobe was created along the perimeter wall, accessible through a newly created door opening from the existing bedroom.
The bright and sunny apartment in greenery is a reminiscence of the original functionalist ideas that were vulgarized by later panel construction. The design thus attempts to refine it again within the given constraints of load-bearing walls and window openings.
The task was to create a modern, bright interior and adjust the space of the apartment to connect the kitchen with the living room as much as possible, making the apartment feel larger. Initially, it seemed that we could achieve this only by unifying the materials of the floors and wall surfaces, without any significant demolition work. However, after studying the structural system of the panel building with the structural engineer, we concluded that it was possible to remove the wall separating the existing living room and the hallway. The key dividing wall turned out to be non-load-bearing and infill. The fact that we were on the top floor under the roof also played a significant role in our considerations.
Since the wall fell into the so-called common areas of the building, it was necessary to hold discussions with the homeowners' association and the cooperative. This, among other things, meant delaying the entire process, as we had to wait for the schedules of both entities' meetings. However, this was eventually accomplished.
By removing the wall, the living space was connected to the kitchen and the large hallway, which until then had been just a dark passageway with no better use. This significantly increased the possibilities for working with natural light and bringing it into the traditionally dark areas of panel apartments – the bathroom core and the entrance hallway. This was achieved through the addition of internal windows – skylights, as well as light distribution from both sides of the perimeter walls.
Incorporating the large hallway into the living space reduced the single-purpose communication area and increased the living space. The bathroom core was shifted while maintaining contact with the installation shaft. In the area of the former kitchen, a small study with a wardrobe was created along the perimeter wall, accessible through a newly created door opening from the existing bedroom.
The bright and sunny apartment in greenery is a reminiscence of the original functionalist ideas that were vulgarized by later panel construction. The design thus attempts to refine it again within the given constraints of load-bearing walls and window openings.
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